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I possess a few opinions about the comments delivered by the sports network commentator a well-known announcer following Novak Djokovic's victory over the American player in the New York major last eight. Consider – the athlete represents the United States, Fowler is American – and athletic competitions frequently encourage patriotic sentiment. A little bit of letdown was appropriate. Rather, he invoked the ongoing absence of American men at the majors: not one of them had lifted a trophy since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the final representative in the tournament.

We all enjoy a storyline, myself included. But come on. Even if Fritz defeated the legend for the first time, force of nature Carlos Alcaraz was waiting in the next round, who Fritz has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And had he someway survived that, it would have been defending champion Jannik Sinner, against whom the American had lost 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the previous seven major titles (and the Spaniard went on to defeat a fatigued Serbian in the subsequent match). Fritz said in press after the loss that he actually preferred his draw, because it offered the opportunity to beat the three best players in the sport in succession. He is more than justified to aim for the achievement; an competitor is supposed to have faith in themselves. But going into that Djokovic quarter-final what other person in their right mind had the drought of US winners on the brain?

Coco Gauff’s weaker delivery the sole barrier between her and consistent victories

Fritz, 28, is placed number four in the world starting this week’s year-end championships and has secured his previous six encounters over No 3 Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. It's likely he might take that spot for himself in the future. But it’s clear that at present, that’s as high as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard sit a vast gap of performance metrics away. His top-class delivery and powerful power on both front side and reverse side are more than adequate to dispose of most opponents on the professional circuit. Against the select few generational talents, however, Fritz is often helpless. The past few seasons has seen the curious rise of tall, gangly athletes who can nonetheless cover the court with the surprising speed and fluidity of much shorter men. He is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His movement is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he seldom steal a point that the other player was dictating, and playing a soft shot versus him is typically a reliable tactic. That serves as a pretty severe restriction on his potential.

The American has achieved a number of dramatic, improbable improvements throughout his career. At the beginning of the ten-year period, he was circling the bottom of the world's best thirty. Two years after, he was approaching the elite ten. Last year, he suddenly exploded to No 4 – and held the position. But the subsequent step, competing against and defeating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and including a declining Djokovic, is the highest of all. What was Fowler thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the continuing drought of American men winning grand slams when Fritz had departed the US Open in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply too much and the respect for the magnitude of the task insufficient.

The American star achieved a career-best advancement to the Wimbledon last four in the summer.

The American's play in that very quarter-final ought to have been enough of an indication. Djokovic won in four rounds, a victory that only felt tenuous for brief periods towards the conclusion, when the American had saved a few match points and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The pair appeared evenly matched during the exchanges, with the American earning numerous chances to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic saved service break opportunity after break point, extending the run to the point of frustration. When Fritz eventually did claim a single of the opportunities at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately produced a horrendous service game to drop serve again; the Serbian had drawn him into a battle peripheral to the real battle and compelled him to expend excessive effort to win it. Facing set points in the last game, Fritz’s primary delivery floated to the sky. He extended the match twice on his backup delivery, but ultimately double-faulted. It wasn’t a choke, in my opinion, only a consequence of needing to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The contest was quite ironclad proof that the American is not good enough to beat any form of Djokovic, who was defeated by the Spaniard in the next round and never especially appeared like he thought he could triumph. This is perfectly fine – Djokovic is the best player ever, and might not be at the height of his athletic abilities now, but has developed enough experience and strategic intelligence to make up for a significant portion of the decline. The issue is those who were anticipating Fritz to prevail, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was had not accomplished anything that indicated he could.

The American is an valuable contributor to the circuit regardless. He’s a calm, reflective voice in media sessions, more so than virtually everyone on the men's tour aside from the Russian star, willing to not only say how he feels or the strategy he felt determined a contest, but explain it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the responsibility for the United States failing to spawn a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist seems unjust. (Now that Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, maybe they can share that load.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Division

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Swedish icon Division

• The Italian champion
• The German powerhouse
• Ben Shelton (US)
• The Canadian talent

“I’d probably dwell on it forever if I fail to accomplish it,” Fritz told an interviewer in the summer of claiming a grand slam. I hope he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t fulfill that goal, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying empire is actually extremely unlikely for all other players. {